Covenants Committee Chair Resigns

Covenants Committee Chair Cynthia Mercer resigned from heading her committee in protest on May 14.

Mercer’s resignation followed an email that committee member Nancy Sells sent Westchase Community Association (WCA) board members following the May 10 WCA Board meeting where a resident with a deed restriction fine before the committee said he arrived late to the meeting. He accused departing committee members of laughing at him, charging that one stated he could just write a check.
Committee members have denied such behavior occurred.

Sent the day after the meeting, Sells’ email stated that while the board regularly asks for volunteers, “Last night, however, I came as close as I ever have to resigning on the spot, particularly when not one, but two board members expressed disapproval of the purported actions of the Covenants committee.”

At the board meeting, when WCA President Ruben Collazo attempted to cut short discussion of the committee’s behavior, WCA Directors Ashley Wait-Woodcock and Rick Goldstein, who encouraged continued discussion and an investigation into the matter.

Mercer’s resignation letter stated, “In light of the recent comments at the WCA board of directors meeting regarding lack of confidence in and concerns with the Covenants Committee, I hereby offer my resignation effective immediately.” She added, “I would like to add that in my 20 years of experience serving on various committees and boards in Westchase, service to our community is a thankless job. Not only do you not get a thank you, more often than not, those who serve get kicked to the curb, literally.”